CalPortland’s Rillito, Ariz., cement plant has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification for the ninth consecutive year, reflecting a legacy of continued energy savings.
“CalPortland is pleased to accept EPA’s Energy Star 2020 certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts at the Rillito plant,” said Allen Hamblen, president and CEO of CalPortland. “We continue to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship and Energy Star while also reducing our energy costs through the hard work of our employees and our corporate energy management culture.”
Earning Energy Star certification highlights CalPortland’s status of operating within the highest level of performance of the top 25% of cement plants in the nation with regards to energy performance. The company has improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its plant.
“Commercial buildings and industrial plants account for nearly half of the nation’s energy” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the Energy Star Commercial & Industrial Branch. “But through benchmarking performance and a strategic approach to energy management, it is possible for companies to save energy, save money, and protect the environment.”
Some of CalPortland’s key accomplishments for the Energy Star certification included:
- Replacing two preheater tower cyclones with a new CalPortland design that improved heat exchange and efficiency and is expected to save over $800,000 per year.
- Installing a new high efficiency belting for a 3.5-mile quarry belt conveyor (7 miles of belting).
- Replacing the kiln baghouse process fan and all dust collector bags in that baghouse, which lowered differential pressure and substantially improved energy efficiency.
- Increasing the Rillito plant’s focus on energy efficiency by expanding its energy team, conducting more frequent energy meetings and communicating energy efficiency best practices throughout the plant.
